It’s not just desktops, it’s phones and laptops and consoles
Good thing I don’t care about any of those things enough to pay the rip-off prices. I’m fine with my 4 year old phone and 10 year old PC. If they crap out then I’ll replace them with some cheap old crap. I don’t need high specs, there isn’t much worth running these days.
Unfortunately it isn’t just the high end stuff which is feeling the crunch. These AI companies have bought up all the production capacity, which means there is less low-end stuff being produced. We’re still coasting on existing stock at the moment, but as that runs out prices will rise across the board.
That’s assuming everyone’s devices crap out during this year or two while the AI and memory companies play pretend that they’re actually going to use up all this memory.
Any product that contains RAM or any service that relies on the use of computers at scale, is going to pass the operating cost (the cost of sourcing RAM) onto the consumer.
And these prices will never go down again. Even when shortages end, costoners will be used to the higher prices, and companies will be used to charging them.
This isn’t the first time that the memory companies have colluded to raise prices. It’s perhaps one of the more extreme instances, yes, but with the AI excuse going away, things will have to go back to reality, especially as China ramps up production and ruins the cartel setup we’re currently stuck with.
Good thing I don’t care about any of those things enough to pay the rip-off prices. I’m fine with my 4 year old phone and 10 year old PC. If they crap out then I’ll replace them with some cheap old crap. I don’t need high specs, there isn’t much worth running these days.
Unfortunately it isn’t just the high end stuff which is feeling the crunch. These AI companies have bought up all the production capacity, which means there is less low-end stuff being produced. We’re still coasting on existing stock at the moment, but as that runs out prices will rise across the board.
Do you care about hospitals, schools, research labs?
Ha! I’m not sick, I already graduated, and I know everything! Checkmate!
I actually love that this is how my Godfather used to think. Then his social safety net broke.
He suddenly voted social democrats.
I’m too poor to enjoy any of those, all of their grants have been gutted, so right now, not at all.
First they came for…
And used prices will surge as more people make the same decision as you
That’s assuming everyone’s devices crap out during this year or two while the AI and memory companies play pretend that they’re actually going to use up all this memory.
As the article explains, you will indirectly pay.
Any product that contains RAM or any service that relies on the use of computers at scale, is going to pass the operating cost (the cost of sourcing RAM) onto the consumer.
And these prices will never go down again. Even when shortages end, costoners will be used to the higher prices, and companies will be used to charging them.
This isn’t the first time that the memory companies have colluded to raise prices. It’s perhaps one of the more extreme instances, yes, but with the AI excuse going away, things will have to go back to reality, especially as China ramps up production and ruins the cartel setup we’re currently stuck with.